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True North creates centralized marketing services operation

Published on July 15, 1999.

True North Communications, Chicago, created Marketing Drive Worldwide, a centralized marketing services organization headquartered in Wilton, Conn., and London. The entity will handle marketing consulting, sales promotion, relationship marketing, branding and promotion support services through offices on four continents. Marketing Drive is estimated to have about 600 employees and worldwide billings of $450 million. True North, the holding company for Foote, Cone & Belding and Bozell Worldwide, said the goal is to better serve clients that want to consolidate promotional services on a multinational scale as well as across related practice areas. Among its U.S. holdings are Market Growth Resources, Wilton; McCracken Brooks Communications, Minneapolis; and Wells Marketing, San Francisco. Wes Bray, president of True North's promotion services group, and Mark Timbrell, founder of Marketing Drive in London, were named co-CEOs. Marketing Drive will operate as part of True North's Diversified Cos. Separately, True North named Kathryn Woods to the new post of VP-global communications. She previously was director-communications and a senior partner at Bozell. Ms. Woods will be responsible for global media relations and external communications.